Academic Enrichment Grant 2026-2027 Project Summary

Maryam Mufti

University Prep Science and Math High School • Detroit, MI

This innovative project will engage students in Detroit and partner classrooms in Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Dearborn in a hands-on investigation of air quality and environmental justice. Through a series of interactive science activities, students will collect and analyze data, explore the health impacts of air pollution, build and test air filtration systems, and examine how environmental issues affect their own communities. By connecting rigorous science instruction with place-based learning, students will gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between scientific inquiry and the world around them.

Students will share their findings and policy recommendations with community partners and state legislators during a statewide advocacy event.  Along the way, they will strengthen their skills in data analysis, scientific writing, collaboration, and public speaking while discovering how science can be a powerful tool for civic engagement. Designed to be shared with educators across Michigan, the curriculum has the potential to expand its impact by helping more students connect science learning to the needs and priorities of their own communities.

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